When Liverpool Institute High School for Boys was closed in 1985, the building
started detoriating badly. Usually, such things happen without anyone
thinking about it twice. The only thing that was special about this particular
high school, though, was that this was Paul McCartney's old High School...
This was the beginning of a heartwarming story.

In 1989, several groups of people came together; The Liverpool City Council,
the Schools for Performing Arts Trust, and Paul McCartney. They initiated talks
in 1990, about how to set up a Performance Arts school. On a press conference
in the same year, Paul McCartney launches the idea.

In 1994, the actual building begins, after a good £ 10 million has been
raised from various sources. Towards the end of 1994, the prospectus is published,
allowing students to apply to the school, which is organized under Liverpool
John Moores University (JMU)

In december of 1995, the LIPA building is finished, and in 1996 the school
opens - accepting the first students.

It can be argued that the whole LIPA project has been hyped by the media
because of Paul McCartney's involvement. Despite of this, the LIPA has gained
a substantial and very positivereputation as being one of the leading performance
arts schools in the United Kingdom.

Initially I had misgivings about the ability of any institution
to teach the stuff that we had to learn the hard way  by going to clubs
and just doing it. Since then, I have seen what LIPA students can do; they
have proved to me that they can stand up and deliver. The training and the
spirit I have seen should give our graduates a good chance in the professional
world. To those of you who get a place at LIPA, I want to say: good luck,
trust your instincts and follow your passion  and enjoy yourselves

What current students say about LIPA (These are people I've
talked to, who go to the LIPA)

The LIPA is great. The competition is hard as a rock (pun intended),
but it doesn't matter. The tone between the students is great (again, pun
intended), and you're seriously learning for life -Mike

I went to the Sound Tech course.. Absolutely great stuff. The school is
serious, and it's got a great name -Chris (Who now works as a music producer
in Norway)